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Richard O'Connell, co-director of Vape Town, said his shop, which only opened in March of this year, had its windows and doors smashed in.

It happened at approximately 4am on Sunday morning.

Although nothing was stolen from the premises, the owners have been left to fork out for new windows and doors.

A Chihuahua dog was captured in the CCTV footage

He told Plymouth Live: "Over the weekend our shop in Exeter street had an incident in which people tried to break in.

"The windows and doors were smashed and I believe other shops in the area were also attempted.

"Last night McColl's was broken into and also Grenville Stores has been robbed. I believe Poundland was broken into and the beer shop was also attempted. This is all in the space of a week.

"Our CCTV footage shows two suspects, one of which is carrying with him a Chihuahua dog."

Police attended the scene after someone living nearby saw people "trying to smash their way in".

Officers are also investigating a break-in that happened on Sunday night at McColl's, which is a few doors down from Vape Town.

A still of CCTV footage from the shop at the time of the incident

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police are investigating reports of a burglary at McColl's on Exeter Street in Plymouth in the early hours of this morning [Monday, August 13] at around 3.30am.

"The front door was smashed in, nothing believed to have been taken so far. Enquiries are ongoing."

Helicopter launched after McColl's break-in

This morning a police helicopter was hovering over the St Judes area of Plymouth in a bid to assist police officers who were searching for the suspects after McColl's and Grenville Stores were burgled.

Eyewitnesses said that the helicopter was over the Greenbank, Mount Gould, Cattedown and St Judes area around 4.30am.

One witness said that there were two police cars on Exeter Street outside the McColls store around 5.30am.

The suspects had a Chihuahua dog with them

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said this morning: “Police were called at 3.40am today, to Grenville Road following reports of someone attempting to gain entry to a shop.

“Damage had been caused to the front door of the property to gain access. It’s unknown at this time what has been taken.

“The offender fled the scene and units and the police helicopter carried out an area search.

“Enquiries are ongoing into this incident.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting crime reference number CR/073506/18.